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Space

For the first time, a wind nebula, which is an enormous cloud made of high-energy particles, has been discovered by astronomers to be surrounding a magnetar. A rare ultra-magnetic neutron star is known as magnetar, which is the most powerful magnet in the universe. This discovery has opened up exceptional avenues to gain insight into the characteristics, environment and outbreak history of magnetars.

In the world of astrophysics, a new discovery has been found this week. An experiment has spotted ripples in space-time, dubbed as gravitational waves. They were formed as a result of collision of two black holes in space at a distance of 1.4 billion light-years from Earth.

It is a big deal, and scientists are very excited about the latest discovery, as they could get more information about the universe.

The first major thing about this direct detection of gravitational waves by (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) LIGO is that it happened at all.

A small asteroid has earned NASA’s recognition as the new ‘mini moon’ of Earth after being there in the orbit of Earth for nearly a century. Measuring between 120 feet to 300 feet in diameter, the minuscule rock is circling the sun slowly on a similar orbit as Earth. Now the scientists at the agency have disclosed that it has been circling our planet as well, not entirely unlike the moon that they we already are aware of and love.

NASA scientists have estimated that ‘asteroid 2016 HO3’, the new playmate of Earth, has likely been around for nearly a century.

NASA is all set to explore gas giant Jupiter as its Juno probe is reaching the planet on July 4. Recently, the space agency revealed that the spacecraft is 8.6 million miles from the fifth planet from the sun. Once Juno reaches Jupiter, it will explore how the planet was formed and how it changed with time.

Jupiter is known for its harsh radiation environment. When the NASA probe will be near the environment, it main engine will be switched on to slow down the craft by about 1,200 mph so that it could enter an orbit around the planet.

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) had much recently discovered that Messier 67, the star cluster, has more than expected number of hot Jupiters. Messier 67 are known as one the oldest open clusters, but younger than our solar system. Hot Jupiters are exoplanets that are outside our solar system. They are known to have size similar or bigger than the biggest planet in our solar system.

On Monday, an uncommon confluence of time and space will greet us as the full strawberry moon of June will bloom with the summer solstice. The alignment hasn’t occurred in the nearly past seven decades.

The sun will be at its northernmost point in the sky at 6:34 pm, shining clearly on the Tropic of Cancer. It will signal the onset of astronomical summer in the northern hemisphere.

Within two hours from then, the waxing gibbous moon will become full while rising in the east southeast, becoming the first full moon on the summer solstice since 1948.

According to scientists, humans still have to wait for another 1,500 years before they may come in contact with aliens.

In a news release, Evan Solomonides, a student from Cornell University who will present the research paper, said that they haven’t heard from aliens so far because space is a huge place. But Solomonides said that it doesn’t mean there isn’t anybody out there.